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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bound — tied together
  5. deal — to handle
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. kid — child
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. kid — to tease
  10. bound — certain
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. club — a group
  13. bank — for money
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. club — for dancing
  17. bound — obliged
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. bank — for money
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. club — for golf
  22. snap — to click
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com